Shipping folder for books and similar objects



Feb, 7, 1967 R. v. JOHNSON 3,302,851

SHIPPING FOLDER FOR BOOKS AND SIMILAR OBJECTS Filed March 15. 1965Eyrzzztzz: 25

INVENTOR FOAM/.0 V. JOHNSON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,302,851SHIPPING FOLIJJER FUR IMBUKS AND SIMILAR (BEIECTS Ronald V. .Iohnson,Bloomington, Minn, assignor to Walldorf Paper Products Company, St.Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 15, 1965, Ser. No.439,560 3 Claims. (Cl. 229--37) This invention relates to an improvementin shipping containers for books and similar objects and particularlyrelates to shipping containers for books and similar objects which areadaptable for automated packaging.

Books and the like are oftentimes shipped in containers made ofcorrugated board which comprises an inner liner, an outer liner, andcorrugated medium sandwiched thcrebetween. This construction provides aportion of the protection books need in shipment. Books are particularlysusceptible to damage on the end edges. Added protection is thereforedesirable to prevent damage to the corners of both book cover cornersand book page corners. However, the added protection afforded by acontainer with cushioned or otherwise protected ends has heretoforeconsiderably hindered the rate at which books or similar objects may bepacked.

Many publishers and manufacturers of similar articles must package theirproduct in such a way that maximum protection is afforded, yet minimumtime is expended in packaging. Several publishers, must ship thousandsof identically-shaped books each month. It is desirable that thesepublishers have available a shipping container which is strong, durable,and with adequate protection for the ends of books, yet adaptable forhigh production packaging.

It is therefore an object of my present invention to provide a shippingcontainer which provides adequate protection for the ends of books andsimilar objects.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a containeradaptable for automated packaging of books and similar objects.

A feature of my invention resides in the provision of an easy openingdevice such as a pull-tab, US. Patent 2,706,076, or a strip-flap, US.Patent 3,141,598, both of which are assigned to Waldorf Paper ProductsCompany.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims.

In the drawings forming a pair of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the shipping con tainer in closedposition. An easy opening device B is shown.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the end of the container of FIGURE 1in partially-closed position.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view through the center of an end portionof the container of FIGURE 1 on a plane parallel to the sides thereof orsubstantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the container isformed.

The manner in which the shipping container is formed is best illustratedin FIGURE 4, the diagrammatic view of the blank from which the shippingcontainer is formed.

The shipping container includes a bottom wall panel 19 having opposedparallel side edges and opposed parallel end edges. Side wall panel 11is hingedly connected to a side edge of bottom wall panel along foldline 12. Side wall panel 13 is hingedly connected to a side edge ofbottom wall panel 10 along fold line 14 which is parallel to fold line12. Top wall panel 15 having opposed parallel side edges and opposedparallel end edges is hingedly connected along a side edge to the sideedge "ice of side wall panel 13 along fold line 16 which is parallel tofold line 12. A glue flap 17 is hingedly connected to the side edge ofside wall panel 11 along fold line 18 which is parallel to fold line 12.

An end closure assembly is attached to each end edge of bottom wallpanel 10 and includes an end closure panel 20 hingedly connected to theend edge of bottom wall panel 1i) along fold line 21 which isperpendicular to fold line 12. An end closure flap 22 is hingedlyconnected to the end edge of end closure panel 20 along closely spacedparallel flold lines 23 which are parallel to fold line 21.

An end cushion assembly is attached to each end edge of top wall panel15. Each assembly includes an end cushion panel 24 hingedly connected tothe end edge of top wall panel 15 along fold line 25 which isperpendicular to fold line 16. An end cushion flap 26 is hingedlyattached to end cushion panel 24 along closely spaced parallel foldlines 27 which are parallel to fold line 25.

FIGURE 2, a perspective view of the container when it is partiallyclosed, shows end cushion panel 24 folded downwardly from the top paneland in position to cushion the item contained in the container. Inclosing the container, end closure panel 20 will be folded in facecontact with end cushion flap 26 and closure flap 22 will be folded overend cushion flap 26 along closely spaced parallel fold lines 23 and intoface contact with end cushion flap 26 and end cushion panel 24. Top wallpanel 15 is shown as shorter than bottom wall panel 10 so that when theend cushion assembly and the end closure assembly are folded in place,end closure panel 20 is flush with side wall panels 11 and 13.

As shown in FIGURE 3, a cross section of the container of FIGURE 1 takenalong section line 3-3, the end cushion assembly and the end closureassembly are shown folded into position for shipment. A book A is shownas it is cushioned by end cushion panel 24. In this view, end closureflap 22 is folded into face contact with both end cushion panel 24 andend cushion flap 26, and, in the preferred embodiment, is adhered to endcushion panel 24.

FIGURE 1 shows the container in a perspective View; the container iscompletely sealed. and ready for shipment. An easy opening device B isshown on the container, consisting of spaced side by side weakened linesin the inner liner, the weakened lines located transverse to thecorrugations so that by grasping the end of the easy opening device Cand pulling outwardly, the inner liner will rip through the corrugatedmedium and outer liner and form a continuous tear strip thereby openingthe container.

In operation, the item to be shipped in the shipping container is placedon bottom wall panel 10. The dimensions of the panels, of course,correspond with the dimensions of the item to be shipped so that a snugfit is effected. For high production packaging, the shipping containerblank, as shown in FIGURE 4, proceeds along the production line with theitem to be packed placed on bottom wall panel 10. The next step is tofold the side wall panels 11 and 13 into face contact with the item tobe packed. Top wall panel 15 is then folded into face contact with theitem and glue flap 17 is adhered to the outside surface of top wallpanel 15 thereby securing the four wall panels into tubular relation.

An alternate method is to supply the packager with a container which hasthe glue flap 17 preapplied to the top wall panel 15. This container maybe shipped to the packager fiat, and in operation, is opened intotubular arrangement for end loading of the item.

At this point, the end cushion panel 24 may be tucked in into facecontact with the item being packed. The

next step is to fold end closure panel 20 into face contact with endcushion flap 26 and to fold end closure flap 22 over end cushion flap 26and into face contact therewith. At this point, either the outsidefacing surface of end cushion panel 24 or the inside facing surface ofend closure flap 22 may be coated with glue. End closure fiap 22 is thensecured in face contact with end cushion panel 24, thereby sealing thecontainer for shipment.

Closely spaced parallel fold lines 23 and 27 are spaced substantiallyequal to the thickness of the heavy paper or corrugated board from whichthe shipping container is made. Top wall panel 15, in the preferredembodiment, is shorter than bottom wall panel by approximately thethickness of three widths of the heavy paper or corrugated board so thatwhen folded into position for shipment, the end closure assembly doesnot extend past the side wall panels of the shipping container therebyeliminating the possibility of snagging the end closure assembly andbreaking the seal of the shipping container.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my improvement in shipping containersfor books and similar objects; while I have endeavored to set forth thebest embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obviouschanges may be made within the scope of the following claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A shipping container including:

a tubular body comprising a pair of generally rectangular top and bottomwall panels connected along opposite side edges by a pair of generallyrectangular side wall panels, in which the top panel is substantiallyshorter than the bottom and side wall panels,

an end cushion assembly and end closure assembly connected to at leastone end of said shipping container including:

an end cushion panel hingedly connected to the end edge of one of saidtop and bottom wall panels, an end cushion flap hingedly connected tosaid end cushion panel, an end closure panel hingedly connected to theend edge of the other of said top and bottom Wall panels, and foldedinto face contact with said end cushion flap, and an end closure flaphingedly connected to said end closure panel and folded over said endcushion flap into face contact therewith and into face contact with saidend cushion panel, said cushion panel, end cushion flap, end closurepanel and end closure flap being of a length substantially equal to theheight of said side wall panels to form an end closure for said tubularbody, and means adhering said end closure flap in face contact to saidend cushion panel thereby securing the shipping container for shipment.

2. A shipping container including:

a tubular body comprising a pair of generally rectangular top and bottomwall panels connected along opposite side edges by a pair of generallyrectangular side wall panels, in which the top panel is substantiallyshorter than the bottom and side Wall panels,

a glue flap hingedly connected to a side edge of said side wall panel,

means for securing said glue flap to said top wall panel in overlappingrelation so that a tubular container is formed,

an end cushion assembly and end closure assembly connected to at leastone end of said shipping con- 4 tainer including:

an end cushion panel hingedly connected to the end edge of one of saidtop and bottom wall panels,

an end cushion fiap hingedly connected to said end cushion panel alongclosely spaced parallel fold lines,

an end closure panel hingedly connected to the end edge of the other ofsaid top and bottom wall panels and folded into face contact with saidend cushion flap, and

an end closure flap hingedly connected to said end closure panel alongclosely spaced parallel fold lines and folded over said end cushion flapinto face contact with said end cushion panel, said cushion panel, endcushion flap, end closure panel and end closure flap being of a lengthsubstantially equal to the height of said side wall panels to form anend closure for said tubular body, and

means adhering said end closure flap in face contact to said end cushionpanel thereby securing the shipping container for shipment.

3. A shipping container including:

a tubular body comprising a pair of generally rectangular top and bottomwall panels connected along opposite side edges by a pair of generallyrectangular side wall panels, in which the top panel is substantiallyshorter than the bottom and side Wall panels,

an end cushion assembly and end closure assembly connected to at leastone end of said shipping container including:

an end cushion panel hingedly connected to the end edge of one of saidtop and bottom wall panels,

an end cushion flap hingedly connected to said end cushion panel along awide fold line,

an end closure panel hingedly connected to the end edge of the other ofsaid top and bottom wall panels and folded into face contact with saidend cushion flap, and

an end closure flap hingedly connected to said end closure panel along awide fold line, and folded over said end cushion flap into face contacttherewith and into face contact with said end cushion panel, saidcushion panel, end cushion flap, end closure panel and end closure flapbeing of a length substantially equal to the height of said side wallpanels to form an end closure for said tubular body, and

means adhering said end closure flap in face contact to said end cushionpanel thereby securing the shipping container for shipment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,180 5/1934Boeye 229-l4 X Re. 25,856 9/1965 Boitel s 229-40 2,932,438 4/1960 Smith22914 X 3,179,325 4/1965 Johnson 22940 3,211,359 10/1965 Fickes 229-40FOREIGN PATENTS 1,368,806 6/1964 France.

667,046 2/1952 Great Britain. 360,648 4/1962 Switzerland.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SHIPPING CONTAINER INCLUDING: A TUBULAR BODY COMPRISING A PAIR OFGENERALLY RECTANGULAR TOP AND BOTTOM WALL PANELS CONNECTED ALONGOPPOSITE SIDE EDGES BY A PAIR OF GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SIDE WALL PANELS,IN WHICH THE TOP PANEL IS SUBSTANTIALLY SHORTER THAN THE BOTTOM AND SIDEWALL PANELS, AN END CUSHION ASSEMBLY AND END CLOSURE ASSEMBLY CONNECTEDTO AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID SHIPPING CONTAINER INCLUDING: AN END CUSHIONPANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE END EDGE OF ONE OF SAID TOP AND BOTTOMWALL PANELS, AN END CUSHION FLAP HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID END CUSHIONPANEL, AN END CLOSURE PANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE END EDGE OF THEOTHER OF SAID TOP AND BOTTOM WALL PANELS, AND FOLDED INTO FACE CONTACTWITH SAID END CUSHION FLAP, AND AN END CLOSURE FLAP HINGEDLY CONNECTEDTO SAID END CLOSURE PANEL AND FOLDED OVER SAID END CUSHION FLAP INTOFACE CONTACT THEREWITH AND INTO FACE CONTACT WITH SAID END CUSHIONPANEL, SAID CUSHION PANEL, END CUSHION FLAP, END CLOSURE PANEL AND ENDCLOSURE FLAP BEING OF A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE HEIGHT OF SAIDSIDE WALL PANELS TO FORM AN END CLOSURE FOR SAID TUBULAR BODY, AND MEANSADHERING SAID END CLOSURE FLAP IN FACE CONTACT TO SAID END CUSHION PANELTHEREBY SECRING THE SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR SHIPMENT.